Pet concerns

Wednesday 17 July 2002 23:00 BST

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Hardly a day passes without some fresh health concern being raised. Always something to worry about. And now, today, we learn that more than half the cats and dogs in Britain are overweight. There are clearly important, possibly ironic, comparisons to be drawn between this and diet elsewhere in the world among slightly higher species; we prefer to leave that to weightier commentators. Our aim is to help at home.

Hardly a day passes without some fresh health concern being raised. Always something to worry about. And now, today, we learn that more than half the cats and dogs in Britain are overweight. There are clearly important, possibly ironic, comparisons to be drawn between this and diet elsewhere in the world among slightly higher species; we prefer to leave that to weightier commentators. Our aim is to help at home.

Concerned owners have doubtless tried the expedient of feeding their small friends less but have succumbed to that look of mute pleading honed over centuries of mutual dependency. May we suggest an appeal to pet intelligence and sensitivities? Cats, clearly, would respond to a picture of a fat feline above the bowl, while dogs will surely copy with enthusiasm a video featuring, say, a feisty poodle going through sit-ups, star jumps and crunchies. Good luck, everyone.